ON Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a statement indicating that it has not yet been formally instructed by the courts to revoke the passport of Zaldy Co, the former representative of Ako Bicol, who is currently a subject of investigation in the multi-billion peso flood control corruption scandal.
The DFA emphasized that it can only cancel Philippine passports issued to Filipino citizens “upon receipt of a court order issued by a competent Philippine court,” as mandated by Sections 4 and 10 of RA 11983, or the New Philippine Passport Act. As of this time, the Department has not received such an order.
Arrest warrants have been issued against Co and 17 others, including Public Works officials and those from Sunwest Corp., a private construction firm owned by the lawmaker accused of receiving large amounts of kickbacks from flood control projects.
The DFA outlined the three grounds for denial, cancellation, or restrictions of a passport: if the passport holder is a fugitive from justice, when the holder has been convicted of a criminal offense, and when a passport was acquired fraudulently or was tampered with. Co, who resigned from the House of Representatives following allegations of his involvement in widespread irregularities in government flood control projects, is now considered a fugitive.
metrosundaily
